War Games: Episode I: A Shadowed Past
by The SkyWolves
Summary: Mutou Yugi has to deal with a new life as the apprentice of Luke Skywalker, while trying to cope with the loss of the Pharaoh and his own dark tendencies, when a new enemy and an old enigma arise. Please R&R!
1. Prologue

I know we SkyWolves haven't been ficcing a lot lately. We've ALL had a weird/rough time lately, so we haven't had a lot of time to fic. 

Anyhoo, Luke here, with my latest plot bantha. Yes, bantha. It's too big to be a bunny.

Now, this is going to be a Yu-Gi-Oh/ Star Wars crossover. I'm putting it in Yu-Gi-Oh! because I think that there is a greater percentage of Yu-Gi-Oh! fans who know anything about Star Wars than there are Star Wars fans who know anything about Yu-Gi-Oh! So it'll make more sense to the average Yu-Gi-OH! fan.

BEWARE: This is 1) going to be a series and 2) going to be YAOI. SLASH. MALE/MALE. So if that's not your cup of cocoa, then don't read. However, I do not plan to include any sex scenes.

PG-13 for violence and a just-in-case situation if I DO change my mind and include sex.

By the way, there will not be any relationships between a Yu-Gi-Oh! character and a Star Wars character.

Also, this will NOT include very much from the EU (Expanded Universe). I will yoink a few characters and plot devices, but it will not follow the EU.

And I am only going to use storyline from the manga, therefore excluding the Doma/Orichalcos saga, KC Grand Prix, etc.

DISCLAIMER: Do I own either Star Wars or Yu-Gi-Oh? No. If I owned either, I'd be damn rich. If I owned both, whooey, that'd be a heavy chunk of the media industry. I don't own either, though. Too bad for me. Maybe for some of you, it's good.

SUMMARY: Mutou Yugi has to deal with a new life as the apprentice of Luke Skywalker, while trying to cope with the loss of the Pharaoh and his own dark tendencies, when a new enemy- and an old enigma- arise.

WAR GAMES  
EPISODE I  
A SHADOWED PAST

* * *

It is a time of reconstruction. The New Republic, under the leadership of the new Chief of State LEIA ORGANA-SOLO, is still trying to stamp out the remains of an increasingly desperate Empire.

The JEDI ORDER, re-founded by LUKE SKYWALKER, is also growing. Jedi Padawan MUTOU YUGI, from the planet EARTH, is considered to be the greatest hope for a new generation of peacekeepers.

However, the Empire, in dire need of a rallying point, has been conducting illegal experiments in cloning which, if successful, may bring about the creation of a dangerous new Sith Lord. . .

* * *

Space. The home of eternal darkness, like the heart of the purest Sith. Grand Admiral Thrawn knew much about the mighty Sith, but he was of the opinion that one could never know too much about one's allies, particularly when they were of the dangerous sort.

At the present time, the Chiss strategist was spending his time contemplating a 3000-pre-Empire sculpture from the planet Korriban. Simple, elegant lines formed the angular figure of a feline approximately 1.5 meters tall. Red gemstone eyes- most likely garnet- shone darkly from black clay and solid gold. Most humans would find red eyes repulsive, Thrawn mused, but as a Chiss, he found them only natural.

The Sith had been destroyed around eight years earlier, by the very son of Lord Vader. Oddly, Thrawn had never come across any art created by Vader- unless one called starcraft blueprints art. Even Palpatine had "dabbled" in painting in his past- every Sith document seemed to state that artistic talent was encouraged. Creation required destruction, and the Sith worshipped change and destruction almost as much as their Dark Side. More things to reflect upon, Thrawn supposed.

He heard the hiss of an opening door, and turned to find his second-in-command, Captain Pellaeon, waiting respectfully for acknowledgement.

"What do you think, Captain? Thrawn asked, gesturing to the cat sculpture.

Approaching, Pellaeon regarded the work cautiously. "I would venture to state that it is a few millenia old, most likely Sith, created by either a female or a Cathar."

With an approving nod, Thrawn explained, "Dara Basta, the only known female alien Sith, who mysteriously disappeared soon after finishing this piece. According to legend, she left the galaxy in pursuit of those 'more appreciative of darkness.' I am surprised that you succeded in analyzing the sculpture so well."

"I was stationed on Morbia for a few years early in my career, and grew to know Cathar art well. However, I do have important news. It seems the strike team deployed to Yavin IV to gather the sample succeeded. By a 'midi-chlorien' count, the blond hair they retrieved would seem to belong to Skywalker. Should I give the go-ahead to the cloning facility?"

With a nod, Thrawn bent to examine the sculpture more closely. "I wonder what these inscriptions say. On your way to the cloners, would you send up a translator droid?"


	2. I

"OW, stang! Yugi!"

Jedi Padawan Mutou Yugi bolted out of his bedroom, clad half in his pajamas and one quarter in a tank top. "What is it?" he asked, his voice muffled by the shirt.

As he yanked it all the way over his head, he was greeted by the very stern glare of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker. "How many times do I have to tell you to keep your boots out of my way?"

"They were under the coffee table! How did you trip on them there?"

With an exasperated sigh, Luke shook his head. "I didn't trip on them. I tried to put one on. You need to keep your too-small-for-me boots in a place where I won't mistake them for my own!"

Embarassed, Yugi nodded. "I'm sorry, Sensei. I'll keep them in my room."

"See that you do. But I know that I've asked you not to call me 'Sensei.' You can just call me Luke. I may be training you, but you don't need to be so formal."

"Okay, Sensei-kun."

Luke was about to chide his apprentice again, but instead, his voice was cut off before he could speak. Gaping blankly at the shorter man, he finally stammered out, "Sensei...kun?"

"'Kun is an informal suffix to tack onto a friend's name."

"Oy. I already speak four languages. Try not to get me mixed up. 'Kun' is 'nut' in Rodian, 'pet' in Twi'leki, and 'animal' in Huttese."

Rolling his eyes, Yugi replied, "Like I would have known that. I speak three languages- Nihongo- er, Japanese- English- er, Basic- and the language of ancient Egypt. English isn't even my best, but I know it well enough."

"If you didn't, Han and I would have been in big trouble when he crashed us into Japan."

"You kidding? You're lucky it was the middle of the night."

"We were lucky you were around in the middle of the night."

"I told you, I'm a night person. It's usually a lot quieter. Usually."

"Well, if you hadn't offered to help, we wouldn't have gotten off Earth before the authorities arrived on the scene. From what I gathered by Earth's technology- or lack thereof- most people would have freaked out if a ship suddenly landed fifty meters away."

"Well, my main thought was 'why the hell do weird things always happen to me?'"

Luke laughed. "I know just how that is. I was the center of all weirdness back when I was a kid. And to think I used to beg for adventures."

"I learned two years ago that adventures just... happen. If you look for them, you're just going to find trouble. My idea of fun these days is zoning out to music."

"You said you used to be into games. What happened to that?"

Yugi suddenly tensed up. "I... told you. I don't want to talk about it. Not now, maybe not ever."

Luke rubbed his temples. "Sorry I asked. I just don't like having people keep secrets from me."

"I'm sorry, Sensei, but I just... can't talk about it yet."

"I understand. Trust me. I don't like hiding things from people, but even I've had to before. But hey, we've got to get going. I promised Leia that I'd try to settle that mess with the fuel smugglers on Bespin, and I don't think it's a good idea to leave you behind."

"What, don't you trust me?"

"I do, but since that break-in a few months ago, people are looking sideways at you. It was the day after you arrived. Cilghal even went so far as to call the situation 'human-y.'" Luke grinned. "Other people were calling it 'fishy,' you know, and so she decided to distance her species from it. Mon Calamari don't like the term 'fishy' much."

"Does anyone like me here?"

"Leia's kids think you're great."

"I mean among the trainees."

Luke frowned. "Honestly, I don't know. I hope so, but you should probably not count on it. But heck, I don't think any of them would mess with my Padawan."

"Well, if nobody likes me here, why do you keep me around? Do you want to be the guy with the least popular student?"

Luke chuckled gently. "It's not important how many people like you. It's how much you like other people, and how much you are liked by the people who do like you. I was the super-geek of my school, but I had a few close friends. You can't do much about how popular you are, but you can control your own attitude. If you don't let yourself dislike the other students, someday they'll come around and realize that you're a good guy." He ruffled Yugi's hair, which was a mass of very vertical, multicolored spikes. "As for why I chose you to be my Padawan, it's a simple answer. You remind me so much of myself that I just couldn't help picking you."

Startled, Yugi smiled. "I do?"

"You bet. When I was your age, it was just before I got dragged into the Rebellion. I had finished looking like the biggest dork in school, and was hoping to find purpose to my life. When you told me that there was nothing for you on Earth, I was reminded of what I told my first mentor before we left Tatooine."

"Well, when my grandpa died, my mom couldn't handle me. All my friends took off after high school, and I was left crashing at the house of a sort-of-friend."

"You told me that Kaiba guy was a friend."

"He... was... but not really. More like ex-enemy who decided he could put up with me."

"Aha. One of those." Luke scoffed. "It's such a waste of time and energy to be enemies, then become allies." Glancing at his wrist-chronometer, Luke cursed. "We're running late. You ready?"

"Lemme grab my jacket." Yugi ran to his room, but was halted by his own jacket hitting him in the face. "Hey! I had it under control."

"But not on time. Let's go." 


	3. II

Thanks to jonouchi-kaiba-mokie for the review! Glad you liked how I did Thrawn!

* * *

Master Skywalker's Padawan was weird. And it wasn't just the hair, either. Corran Horn had encountered some bizarre people in his day, first as a member of the Corellian Security Force, then as a Rogue, then, lately as a Jedi. So the kid's appearance didn't faze Corran at all. 

But there was something odd about the boy, although Corran couldn't put his finger on it. Sure, Yugi was nice enough- in fact, Corran admired the kid's ability to remain nice even picking torra fruit out of his big hair- but Yugi clearly already had a lot hidden, especially for someone only nineteen.

Yugi and Luke were chatting away about high school as Corran approached them. There was an unusual ease about Skywalker's behavior, as though he had known the kid his whole life, that made Corran smirk. Whatever bad had happened to Mutou, it was clearly good for both Master and Padawan that they had met.

"Hey Luke! Got a minute?"

"Not many. What's up?"

"There's a message from Coruscant. Seems like they want you to investigate something on Tatooine, too."

"When?"

"Now."

Luke was taken aback. "I was told to go to Bespin ASAP."

Yugi spoke up. "Didn't she just tell you to see that -someone- went to Bespin?"

"Well, yes. Corran, you able to go?"

"Sorry, but I'm off to Chandrila."

"What's on Chandrila?"

"There's a shipment of crystals that they're donating to the Academy so the students can make sabers."

"With Lando's station up on Yavin, there'll be plenty of crystals-"

"If you want to go to the trouble of harvesting and cutting the rarest, hardest gem in the galaxy. Think about it. It's a pain in the thrusters to have to cut a softer crystal. Most students wouldn't want to have to worry about dealing with a Corusca gem. Not to mention that there's bound to be screw-ups. Chandrilan quartz is highest quality, and it's a cheap saber-worthy crystal."

Luke chuckled. "Good point. I remember I had to cook my own gem. Trying to facet a jewel in the same room as a snoring Wookiee is not easy. Any suggestions on who I should send to Bespin, though?"

"Why not send your apprentice?"

Luke glanced at Yugi. "I'm not sure. I don't know if Bespin's a good place to send the newest recruit. First time I was there, I didn't do very well, if you recall."

"Like he's going to run into any Sith there. Heck, maybe you could get Solo to keep an eye on him."

"Last time Han was on Bespin, he wound up in a block of carbonite!"

"Well, maybe Lando could use a vacation."

Yugi blurted out, "Sensei-kun, are you worried I can't handle a smuggling ring? I've been successfully avoiding death since I was fifteen. I know almost every trick in the book. I may not be much of a Jedi yet, but I -am- a survivor."

Corran laughed. "Kid, you're all right. You may be weird, but you've got it where it counts. I don't see why everyone's so freaked out about you. I think they're just jealous Skywalker picked you for his Padawan and not some home-grown kid."

The boy smiled, and Corran noticed for the first time that his eyes were an odd, but rather interesting, shade of violet. "I'm honored, Master Horn."

"Hey, Luke, why don't you call Lando? I think that Yugi here could handle Bespin with a few pointers."

Yugi turned to his teacher, and stared honestly into his face. "I might not look very old right now, but a little bit of makeup can change that. Do you think I can handle a solo mission, Sensei?"

Regarding the boy carefully, Luke finally gave a slow nod. "If you went in well briefed, I do think you would succeed. It's settled, then. I'll call Lando right now."


	4. III

"So why does Luke shiver every time he says 'Bespin?'" Yugi asked Lando once they were on board the Lady Luck. 

"You mean he hasn't told you?"

Yugi shook his head. "He implies that he had a really bad time there, but he never says why it's the one place in the galaxy he might hate."

"Well, if he hasn't told you yet, then I don't know if I have any right to tell you. I was really not a whole lot more than a bystander."

"But you were the... what was it... Baron-Administrator?"

Lando laughed ruefully. "Won the place in a game of sabacc."

"Sabacc?"

"You've been in this galaxy for what, four months now, and you don't know what sabacc is?"

"I know it's a game."

"That's 'cause I said that. Once we get into hyperspace, I'll teach you how to pl-"

"No."

Lando blinked. "Huh? Why not?"

"No. I do not play games."

With a smooth smile, Lando began, "This isn't some kid's game. It's THE game-"

"No! Last time I screwed around with games, I got my heart broken." Yugi clenched the arms of the copilot's seat as though he was about to break them.

Lando, not quite understanding, tried to comfort the boy. "I was pretty steamed with Han after he won the Falcon from me-"

"You wouldn't even begin to understand if a stupid ship was your biggest loss."

With a light chuckle, Lando nodded. "Then someone stole your girl-"

"Stop making stupid assumptions about my life! You know nothing about me!" Yugi's voice held an amount of rage Lando hadn't heard since he had woken up Luke from a nightmare soon after the incident on Bespin. Lando stared, and could have sworn that the boys eyes were flickering red.

Embarassed, Lando stammered out, "I'm sorry, buddy. You're right. I don't have the right to assume what happened to you. Y'know, the last person I saw this mad was Luke."

Yugi's rapid breathing began to slow down. "You mean Luke's been that mad before?"

"Hell, yeah. In fact, it was right after Bespin."

"Bespin was that horrible to him?"

"Yeah. It was the worst experience of my life. I think Han, Leia, and Luke would all agree."

"What happened?"

"I still think that's the sort of thing you should talk about with Luke."

"Well, what happened to you there?"

Lando rubbed his forehead. "Darth Vader happened."

"Darth Vader?"

"You... do... know who Vader was, don't you?"

"I've heard the name, but nobody's ever explained it to me. I get the idea that it's not the favorite topic at the Academy."

"Boy, is that an understatement. Do you know about the Empire?"

"A bit. The Sith led the Empire for about twenty years, then they were defeated by Luke, and the New Republic took over."

"Well, Emperor Palpatine was a Sith, and Vader was his right-hand man. They say that Palpatine was more evil than Vader, but Vader was more active at his evilness. He was the visible face of evil. Vader blackmailed me into helping him set a trap for Luke using Han and Leia as bait. He kept reneging on the deal, changing it every ten minutes, until it just got too messed up for me to handle. I ultimately managed to bust Leia and Chewie out of that scrap, but we had to save Luke after he fought- and lost to- Vader, and had to save Han later."

"I see. So Vader was Luke's worst enemy?"

Lando glanced sideways at Yugi. "Yes... he was. The rest of it, I think it would be best for Luke to tell you. But I think you should tell him what's making you so angry. I'm no genius about the Jedi, but I know it's not good for anybody to keep that type of anger around."

"I hope I can tell him. It happened two years ago, but it's still... very fresh in my mind- and in my heart. I don't like keeping secrets from people, but I want to try to be able to control my emotions regarding it before I try to dig into it."

"I see. So, is the sabacc still a no?"

"I will not play games anymore. Sorry I got so mad at you, but my entire life was destroyed by games. I don't want to mess with them anymore."

Nodding sympathetically, Lando turned to the controls of the ship, and said no more.


	5. IV

And now, back to the Imperials... Please read and review!

* * *

Captain Pellaeon was not in the habit of hurrying, especially at the demands of subordinates. He knew how to hurry, which was how he was blazing through the corridors of the Star Destroyer Chimaera, and he knew, even more importantly, when to hurry. And this was one of those times.

It was generally a bad sign when a well-respected biochemist tells you to get your posterior down to the lab as soon as "kriffin' " possible, especially when they generally have the sense not to swear at the second-highest ranking man on the ship.

Arriving at the cloning laboratory, Pellaeon adjusted his uniform briefly, then entered the lab. Doctor Mezarith greeted him immediately. "Captain, I apologize in advance for the unfortunate... setback we have encountered in the cloning process."

"Cut out the chat, Mezarith. What happened, why, and can it be fixed?"

The lanky, grey-haired biologist winced. Gesturing for Pellaeon to follow him, he began to explain. "The specimen is in perfect health, and we expect him to be ready to release from the cloning cylinder in five days. However, I believe you should take a look at him yourself." Leading Pellaeon to a vertical vat filled with what appeared to be bacta, he picked up a datapad. "According to our data, Skywalker is one-point-seven-five meters tall. Now, clones may be taller then their source material, due to enhanced nutrition, but a healthy clone is never shorter." Pellaeon gazed through the murky blue fluid, and found that the clone was indeed short. "The subject ceased gaining height four days ago- at the height of one-point-six meters."

Handing the datapad to Pellaeon, he continued. "During routine examinations throughout the growth of the clone, we have taken pictures of the subject's eyes. Skywalker's are blue. Although, due to the necessity of the low light in the tank, we have not been able to determine the actual color, they are clearly dark. Most likely brown or hazel."

Pellaeon was no fool. "So it's not Skywalker."

"I'm afraid not, sir. Your strike team must have retrieved the wrong hair."

"Could it have been contaminated?"

"Possibly, but not likely. The midi-chlorien count of the subject is too high to have been anyone other than a very powerful individual."

"So the project may be salvageable."

"Indeed." Mezarith took his datapad back, and nodded. "I'm no military man, but if you're looking for a new Emperor, you may actually have better luck with this one. We have no idea who he is, but he may be one of the trainees at the Jedi Academy. We know Skywalker's a light-sider. He may be Vader's son, but he may have something in his genes that cancelled it out. A clone of someone else may be less stubborn- more trainable."

Pellaeon's mood brightened. "And he may be less powerful than Skywalker. Maybe it would be a good thing to have someone not as... scary... as Vader breathing down our necks."

Mezarith laughed, and turned to escort Pellaeon out. "Well, then, I apologize for making such a big deal out of it. I'm glad that it's going to work out all-"

Abruptly, they were cut off by a scream, a blood-curdling wail which seemed impossible for a human to make. Both men whirled, to find one of the junior biologists rushing over to them. "Sirs, the subject is aware!"

"Impossible!" Mezarith gasped. "With the CNS depressants used to maintain a stable growth of the clone, he shouldn't be aware for at least a day after we pop the hatch!"

Pellaeon and Mezarith ran back to the cylinder, only to find one of the younger white-coats staggering towards the vat as though in a trance. His hand slowly, haltingly, raised to a prominent lever on the side of the cloning cylinder. Mezarith dashed forward. "Don't!" However, he was too late. With a hiss and a rush of smoky bacta, the entranced scientist collapsed to the ground. Pellaeon tried to help Mezarith to his feet, but froze as he saw the subject, staring down at him with chilling crimson eyes.

The clone stepped effortlessly out of the tube, and although he was much shorter than Pellaeon, the captain still felt like an Ewok in the presence of a krayt dragon.

Finally gaining his composure, Pellaeon stepped back and bowed, praying to any and all gods that he didn't look as shaky as he felt. "Welcome. I am Captain Gilad Pellaeon, and you are aboard the Star Destroyer Chimaera. Do you understand Basic?"

The patient's eyes- those demonic red eyes!- narrowed. "If you refer to English- the language we are speaking- then I understand it well enough."

It was impossible! No newly hatched clone could speak! But here this frightening young man was, speaking with a heavy accent, but clearly fluent in Basic. Pellaeon knew that he had to be as civil as possible with this dangerous... being.

"You are here as a result of an experiment in cloning. Your genetic material is not that of the person we had intended to clone, but we had planned to create a new leader for our Imperial Navy." The face of the clone was unreadable. "We had hoped to create a powerful new Emperor to help us increase morale and regain the upper hand against the Rebellion."

"So I am to be your Emperor?" Pellaeon could swear he saw a triumphant smirk on the lips of the man. "Is there a higher-ranking officer on this ship?"

"Y-yes. I will see if he will speak with you."

Nodding curtly, the young man asserted, "See that you do. And see to it that I receive some clothing." And Pellaeon hurried once more, partially to obey, but mostly just to retreat from those bloody eyes.


	6. V

Thanks for all the reviews! Back to Yugi! (By the way, the guesses were correct!)

* * *

Mutou Yugi was not pleased. His first solo mission- absolutely botched. 

It really wasn't his fault. He had gone in, fully prepared, but his Japanese accent, although not too terribly heavy, had caused a misunderstanding which caused the smugglers to burst into laughing. It seems that they thought when he said "fuel prices" that he meant "fool prices." In his embarassment, he tried to overcompensate and wound up stumbling on his words. They were still laughing when they escorted him, none too gently, into the storage locker where he currently sat, still red faced, trying furiously to come up with a way to escape.

A loud belch issued through the slats in the flimsy steel door. His guard was a portly human only slightly taller than Yugi, and he was staggering drunk. Out of defiance, curiosity, and boredom, Yugi let out a raw, even louder belch.

"Hooey! For a shmall-trick, yoush got shome air!" The guard laughed raucously, and Yugi scoffed. The guard suddenly peered through the vent, and the stench of cheap booze hit Yugi square in the face. "C'mon, do it agin!"

"What the hell do I look like, a circus animal? I'm not here to entertain you." Picking up a loose fastener, he threw it at the vent.

"Boyo! Little kid's got shome spunk!" The guard suddenly unlocked the door, and waddled in, bringing his blaster and glowlamp with him. "What'sh a little boy like you doing out in big-boy-world?"

Smiling with sarcastic sweetness, Yugi replied, "Making sure that the big babies are listening to what Mommy Republic says." Turning serious, Yugi continued, "I am Jedi Padawan Mutou Yugi, on a mission for the New Republic to attempt to solve a dispute with the local black market over the recent fuel shortages."

"That's cute. Y'know, you're pretty, fer a boy. If you were old enough, I'd-"

"If I weren't too old, I'd deck you just for mentioning that." The fat man blinked, stupefied. "If I were underage, I'd be able to knock you out without anyone looking sideways at me. Since I'm an adult, though, it would go on my record for assault. Not to mention I'd get kicked out of the Academy."

"So you really are an adult?"

"Do people always have to ask me that? Yes, for the ten-thousandth time, yes." The fat man leaned closer to Yugi, and he squirmed as far away as the cramped locker would allow him to.

"Well, then, how's about you an' me-"

"No way! No way in hell!"

"Aw, c'mon, I haven't had any in such a long time-"

"Maybe because you haven't had liposuction or a bath in what, twenty years?" Yugi tried to crawl out from underneath the heavy drunk, but he was pinned in a corner, and could hardly breathe, let alone move. "Get up, baka!"

The drunk wasn't fazed by the insult- chances were he had no idea what Yugi just called him- but he got off of Yugi, and whined, "C'mon! I'll play you for it."

Narrowing his eyes, Yugi cautiously asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Sabacc! Tell ya what. I win, you gimme yer fruities. You win, I let you out. Deal?"

It was his chance for freedom. Without even thinking about his vow never to game again, Yugi snapped, "Deal. However, I've never played sabacc. I want a thorough explanation of the rules first."

With a grin, the fat man pulled a thick deck of cards out of his pocket. "76-card deck, goal is 23..."

Less than ten minutes later, Yugi was locking the door to a storage locker that housed a very drunk fat man, pocketing a new deck of cards, and holstering a confiscated blaster. Whistling nonchalantly, he strolled out of the warehouse and worked to remember where Lando said to meet him.


	7. VI

And back to the Imps.

* * *

Still within the cloning laboratory, the newly-born young man waited patiently for the return of Pellaeon. It wasn't as though he had much of a choice. All of those scientists had decided to take off for some reason, so he was left on his own. He entertained himself first by hunting down a towel to wipe off that odd blue fluid, then by looking through a medical book about species he had never heard of. 

Indeed, he knew very little about his surroundings. He liked to think of himself as an observant person, but he had no recollection of any Empire, or a Rebellion. Truth was, he admitted silently to himself, he had no real idea of who he was either. He supposed that it was probably because he was an artificial being. However, he knew that, if he wanted to be the Emperor that they intended him to be, he had to become aware of his new life.

A sharp hiss drew his attention, and he glanced up to find a glittering silver figure, bipedal and clearly mechanical, approaching him with a plastic sack on one arm and a covered tray on the other. The machine gasped as it nearly dropped the tray, and the man rose quickly to keep it from falling.

"Oh, thank goodness! My apologies for my clumsiness. I am I6-S2, at your service. I was sent up by Captain Pellaeon to deliver clothing and a meal, as well as lead you to Grand Admiral Thrawn when you were prepared to meet with him."

The clone regarded the plastic sack, and, placing the tray on a relatively safe-looking spot on a table cluttered with medical instruments, pulled out a simple outfit of pure black. Slacks, a button-up shirt, socks, undergarments, and boots. He wasted no time in covering up, then set to work eating his meal, which seemed to be ground red meat on a bun. Downing the sandwich quickly, he said to the robot, "I'm ready to meet this admiral."

"Very well, sir. Right this way."

As they passed through numerous halls, the would-be-Emperor had several glimpses outside of massive windows. The blackness of the stars greeted him, and he soon had accepted as fact that he should become accustomed to space travel. Also, white-armored troops seemed in abundance, and outside of the ship he saw many smaller fighters swarming. This Imperial Navy seemed to be quite powerful.

After a good deal of walking, they finally approached the doors of a prominent chamber, which opened as they drew near. The young clone entered alone, and found art- or holograms thereof- on every wall. Holographic sculptures were scattered about the floor, and light music, low and contemplative, surrounded him. Running a hand over his still-hairless head, the clone ventured cautiously, "Is there anyone here?"

Out from behind a tall, solid statue of red marble stepped a lean figure, blue-skinned and black-haired, with glowing red eyes. The alien bowed, and answered, "I am Grand Admiral Thrawn, and welcome to my sanctuary. This gallery is a place where I study the art and thinking of various cultures around the galaxy."

Nodding appreciatively, the young man returned, "A culture's creations are a direct result of- and window into- their way of thinking."

"Yes, that's precisely correct." Thrawn strolled over to a pedestal, where a small cube lay. Lifting it, he continued, "To many, this is a mere block, however, I know the history behind it- and a few of the secrets it contains. Have you ever heard of the Sith?"

Shaking his head, the clone replied, "It is an unfamiliar term."

"The Sith were the leaders of this galaxy for a time, but they were deposed by the young man that we had meant to replicate. Somehow your source's hair was mistaken for Skywalker's." Regarding the cube, Thrawn pointed at some symbols on its side. "This cube was made by the last true ruler of the galaxy, Emperor Palpatine. Within it lies the secrets of the Sith. I cannot access its secrets, for I am not strong with the Force."

"The Force?"

"As far as I am knowledgeable regading the Force, it is believed to be the living energy of the universe, which Sith can manipulate and use for power. The Jedi, also, wield the Force, but they are the sworn enemies of the Sith."

"So this... Skywalker, who killed the Emperor, is a Jedi?"

"Correct. I also believe that the genetic material used to create you came from a Jedi."

"And you wish for me to be a Sith." It was not a question.

"We wish for an Emperor. I am an effective military man, but with the Rebellion gaining ground, we need a leader who can use the Force to bring us victory."

"Tell me about the Rebellion."

With a charismatic smile on his face, the Admiral offered the cube to the clone. "Why not allow the Emperor to tell you?"

Curiously, the youth reached for the translucent crimson box. No sooner had he touched it when it gave off an explosion of blinding ruby light. With a gasp, he fell to the floor, clutching the cube tightly in his hand.

Desert. The feel of the hot sun baking his skin was all too familiar, although he could not place it. With a groan, the boy opened his eyes. Sitting up, he tried to remember what he had been doing.

Ah, yes. That Sith cube. Thrawn had said that it held the secrets of the Force. Rising to his feet, the clone found that he was at the steps of a great temple. Clearly, he was intended to enter.

With an amused grin on his lips, the youth made his way through the labyrinthine corridors. Decked with gigantic statues of demonic creatures, tapestries of massive battles, and flame-throwing torches, the halls gave off a deep aura of power that the clone drank in with excitement. Shortly he came upon a majestic throne room of black stone and red light. Boldly, he strode to the empty throne, prepared to receive the darkness due him.

As he set foot upon the dais, a raspy chuckle filled the air, and he whirled. A shriveled figure cloaked in deepest ebony applauded, and the clone was no longer so certain of himself.

"Well, what are you waiting for, boy? That throne will never be any more vacant."

"You are Palpatine."

"Very good, boy. Do you know where we are?"

"No."

"Welcome to my tomb, on Korriban. This is the resting place of all Dark Lords of the Sith. Here, I will teach you the ways of the dark side of the Force."

Darkness. Yes, it was coming to the clone now. It was natural- right- for him to be of the darkness. Images swirled through his mind, of dimly lit tombs and shadows, monsters and mind tricks. The youth smiled serenely. "I am ready to learn the way."


	8. VII

No, I'm not going to makeYami ugly.He's not going to spend a VERY long time on the dark side. Nowhere near Anakin's 20 years, or Palpatine's who-knows-how-long He isgoint to NEED to remain attractive... even if only for our sake, ne? .

* * *

"Hey, buddy, good to see you made it out of there okay!" Lando hollered over the din of the gamblers at the Idiot's Fortune casino. "How'd you do?" 

Making his way through the card tables and around gamblers of various species, Yugi shook his head. "Don't ask. It was a flop."

"Well, you're alive."

"Yeah, with my virginity barely intact. Be nice if I had a lightsaber to prove I'm a Jedi." Lando gulped loudly, giving Yugi an askew glance. "Some jerk thought I was good-looking, and if he'd tried forcing me, I don't think I could have fought him off. I had to play a game of sabacc to get him off of me."

"You said you don't play games."

"Yeah, well, it's not like I had a choice. It was do or be done."

"Good point." Yugi glanced at Lando's hand, seeing the eight of staves, the Star (Value -17), and the Queen of Air and Darkness (Value -2). Not a great hand, but Lando had a great gaming face.

Not so the lady three seats over. Her skin was orange, so it wouldn't have been easy to see a flush, but her left eye was barely twitching. Otherwise, her face held a wide grin.

Chuckling lightly, Yugi muttered to Lando, "You'll never guess what I saw Sensei- er, pardon me- Luke doing."

"Really?"

With a giggle, Yugi leaned in and whispered in Lando's ear, "Orange bluffs."

Lando's eyes grew wide, and he made a face. "Leia would skin you alive if she knew you were spreading rumors about her brother's love life." A perfect cover for a hint.

Or not. "What love life?" Yugi whirled, knocking his chair over, to find Luke standing there, his eyebrow raised. "Oh, you must be talking about my Cathar holovids."

Busted. Yugi wasn't, but he knew he had to play along. "Anoooo... gomen, Sensei! I just-"

"You just nothing. It's no big secret anyway." Picking up the overturned chair, Luke continued. "I got a lead from a spy in Mos Espa that there's a connection. We've got to fix your mess-up. Let's go."

Lando complained. "I've got a good game going!"

"And we've got work to do. Stay behind if you wish, but we've gotta go."

"So, how did you know so soon that I had problems?"

"We have a double-agent among the smugglers. He's a fat, horny drunk with an attitude problem, but he's smarter than he acts. Not as smart as he thinks he is, though."

Fat... horny... "Oh, no. Not him!"

With a rueful grin, Luke replied, "I'm sorry that he treated you like that. It's unacceptable, but it was the way he thought of to release you without seeming like he was betraying them."

"He didn't go easy on me in that game, did he?"

"Of course not. I had that part planned, actually- to try to make you face your fear of games."

"You tricked me!"

"I had to. You need to be able to use every tool at your disposal that will avoid violence. I was a fair gamer, when I was young, but I can tell a good gamer, and your knack for it is far more than mine ever will be."

Sullenly, Yugi muttered, "You still tricked me."

"I don't like being dishonest, but sometimes it's necessary- and for the good of the victim of dishonesty. Trust me."

"I'm not sure how much I can, now."

"I knew you would win."

"You still tricked me! What sort of friend would do that?"

Luke stuck his finger in Yugi's face. "The sort of friend who has been through more than his share of trickery, and knows that sometimes it helps a person become more aware. You are my Padawan, and although I do not ask obedience, I ask respect. I took responsibility for you when I took you off of that seventeenth-rate, low-tech backwater planet. I'm not going to see your talents- or your life- go to waste."

Shaking his head, Yugi whispered, "That does not mean you have the right to lie to me."

"No, I didn't, but I was lied to by all of my elders when I was your age."

"So you do it to me."

"I did it for your own good."

Yugi turned his back on his teacher. "Luke, I don't want to talk about it any more right now. I'll cooperate for the mission- it's my job as a Jedi-to-be- but I hope you know that this is not the end of it."

"I don't expect it." With a sigh, Luke placed his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I am sorry."

Turning back to face Luke, Yugi sighed. "I know. Let's get the mission over with, though."

Luke nodded, but halted. Bringing his hand to his forehead, Luke frowned. "Wait a minute." Glancing around, he walked over to a vent in the wall. "Yugi, go back to the casino. I have to do something first."

Raising his arms in exasperation, Yugi sighed. "Go for it."


	9. VIII

Aboard the Chimaera, Thrawn paced nervously in his gallery. The young clone had fallen unconscious, with the Holocron firmly in his grasp. It was not in the Chiss admiral's nature to be anxious, but he knew that this was unusual- even for a Sith artifact. Holocrons, when touched by a person strong with the Force, emitted a hologram of their creator, which was programmed to answer questions in the way the creator would if he were still alive. Holocrons were devices to transfer the teachings of dead Sith masters.

However, the holocron, glowing an eerie blood-red, gave no other sign of the teachings of Palpatine. The boy, clutching the cube to his chest desperately, had been unconscious for almost three hours now, and every now and then, he snarled, mumbled, or even snickered sinisterly. Thrawn didn't know if there was anything he could-or should- do to help the new Emperor.

Unexpectedly, the clone's arm shot forward, sending the crimson cube flying across the dim gallery. With a gasp, he sat up, an exultant grin on his young features. Thrawn snapped to attention, and asked, "My Emperor, are you all right?"

Coming to his feet, the clone replied, "I am Darth Ausar, Lord of the Sith and the new Galactic Emperor. My service is to the Dark Side of the Force, and I am your master."

With a fluid bow, Thrawn returned, " Of course, your Majesty. The entire Imperial Navy is at your command."

Over the next several hours, Thrawn observed Ausar carefully. The boy had retrieved the Holocron, and now carried it constantly. From time to time, his eyes would glaze over, and Thrawn assumed that he was communing with the spirit of Palpatine. There was no other explanation for the sudden rise in Ausar's power. It was as though he was a completely new man. As they traveled through the corridors en route to the audience chamber, a handful of stormtroopers had blazed by, shouting swear words and wielding various foods. The Emperor was not amused.

Raising his hand, he called out for the troops to stop. And they did, seemingly slamming into an invisible wall of air. He commanded them to march back to the mess hall, an order which they obeyed as though mesmerized. Following them, he strode into the mess hall, where an immense food fight was raging.

"THIS IS THE VERY REASON THAT THE REBELS HAVE THE UPPER HAND!" roared the boy-leader. The troops froze in mid-throw, mid-duck, and mid-shout, turning to stare at the Sith.

Having their attention, Ausar lowered his voice. "Discipline among the troops must be maintained. I demand the identities of the men who began this disgraceful skirmish, as well as their direct superiors."

Three troops stepped forward and saluted, and Thrawn could see them shaking. One stepped forward and recited, " I am #TK-831, and I got into an argument with #DM-586 and #TK-449. It is my fault."

Two officers joined the troops, and one of them said, "We are the commanders of the TK and DM squadrons."

The Emperor grinned widely. "The rest of you will miss your lunches for the next two weeks, and clean up this mess immediately. You five, follow me." Curious, Thrawn tagged along as Ausar led the five to the galley.

"There is no excuse for improper bahavior. May I ask you, commanders, why your men did not behave themselves in a manner as befitting a soldier of my Empire?"

One of the commanders- a lean-faced young man with dark skin- stammered, "Y-your Empire?"

"I am Darth Ausar, your new Emperor. I have been endowed with all of the authority of Palpatine." Strolling to a droid cook, the young Sith commanded, "A batch of the spiciest food you can create, enough for six people."

What use would Ausar have for spicy food? Thrawn frowned, and leaned down to murmur into the Emperor's ear, "Are you going to punish these men?"

Narrowing his eyes, Ausar replied, "Are you stupid? Of course I am. Watch and learn, Admiral."

It was not long before the food- a bright red snack called eeyow- was placed before the Emperor. Taking it to a counter, he divided the long, thin strips into six portions. Thrawn had heard of eeyow, but never tried it. He had heard of people losing their sense of taste just from a nibble of it.

"We will eat these one piece at a time. Anyone who can eat it all is free to go, the pain of the food being their only punishment. If you can't eat it all, you will have it force-fed to you, as well as three weeks of solitary confinement- with your only food being this." Regarding the crispy snack, he continued, "If I cannot eat all of my portion, all five of you are free to go. This is known as a Game of Darkness."

Swallowing, the five men began to sweat.

Before long, one officer and two of the troops had fainted, and Ausar was left playing his game with the dark-skinned officer and #TK-831. Most of his eeyow was gone, and he was currently pinching his nose, seemingly having trouble with his sinuses.

831 was hissing in pain, clutching his mouth and sweating rivers. The officer was trying desperately to stop his bleeding nose. Both of them had eaten nearly three-fourths of their snack, and they seemed as though they would win.

Thrawn was engrossed in downing an entire liter of milk, having tried a piece of the eeyow left by one of the unconscious men- and decided quickly that he didn't like it. The three men left in the game must have had tongues of durasteel.

Ausar lifted another stick of eeyow, and closing his eyes, shoved it into his molars. One quick chomp, and he swallowed. Thrawn recognized his technique as being used to avoid contact with the tongue.

The officer's turn consisted of nothing less than absolute hilarity. Sniffing blood back up his nose, the man tried to replicate the Emperor's technique, but was too hasty. The crispy strip went down the wrong way, and Thrawn observed as the officer cried out in anguish as he began to choke on the hot food. The trooper's fist shot out, punching the man in the gut, who coughed out the remnants of his eeyow, and fainted.

"Just you and me, now," the Emperor panted. "I'm surprised you made it this far."

Gasping for breath, the trooper responded with, "I've always won eating competitions."

"I mean you've gotten this far without finding a poisoned piece."

Freezing, TK-831 whimpered, "Poison?"

Nodding, the Emperor continued, "That's why all of them are on the floor. Did you think that you were really that much stronger than them?"

"Well, I-" Nervously, the troop stared at his eeyow. "Um, is your Najesty's eeyow poisoned, too?"

"What sort of game would it be otherwise?"

His hand shaking, TK-831 abruptly fell unconscious.

With a triumphant smirk, Ausar grabbed the remaining handful of eeyow and crammed it down his throat. Gaping, Thrawn asked, "How did you-"

"He became afraid of it. If you don't allow yourself to fear it, you can do anything." Wiping the red crumbs from his lips, Ausar gestured at the fallen men. "Send them to solitary confinement with only eeyow for food for the next three weeks. They must learn self-control."

"But wasn't their eeyow poisoned?"

"Of course not. I don't waste valuable men- or poison, for that matter." Thumbing the side of the Holocron, he rose from his seat. "Now I will return to the gallery. Showing myself to the remainder of the men can wait. My master wishes to speak with me." 


	10. IX

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I've been busy trying to keep my plot bunnies from breeding out of control, and I've had no luck. 

The sad thing is my plot bunnies are all male.

Anyway, we left off with Yugi angry at Luke...

* * *

Yugi turned the corner, walking back towards the casino, until he heard a loud grating noise. Peeking back, he saw Luke pulling open the vent on the wall. What was he doing?

The vent was wide enough for a person to fit into, barely, and Luke did just that, sliding feet-first into the hole and disappearing. More secrets? Yugi was disappointed. What could his Sensei have to hide? He slowly crept forward to peek into the duct, and saw nothing but blackness.

Sensei had told him to go to the casino- but Luke didn't own Yugi. Yugi slipped into the vent quietly, climbing down and hiding his presence in the Force from Luke- one of the first skills he had picked up at the Academy.

* * *

A red glow shone below Yugi's feet as he crept silently through the metal duct, and he knew he was close. He sensed Luke was separated from him by a wall- an instinctive ability to navigate walled areas was something Yugi picked up from his days as a gamer, lost in mazes both literal and figurative. Dropping to the floor, Yugi snuck through piles of garbage.

Oh, what a wonderful smell Luke had discovered.

Poking his head around the corner of the wall, Yugi saw Luke engrossed in digging through the trash, feverishly trying to uncover... something, Yugi was completely unsure of what it could be.

Luke let out a loud sigh of relief, as he pulled a strangely shaped item out from the garbage. He handled it carefully, avoiding touching a large lump around the middle of the object. It appeared to be-

A lightsaber. With a hand attached to it. Yugi couldn't suppress a small gasp of horror.

Luke spun at the sound, and upon seeing Yugi, exhaled and shook his head. "I should have known you'd follow me."

"Well? You just sneak into the garbage without even letting me know what's happening? I don't want to be left out of your life, Sensei! You keep hiding things from me. If you don't trust me, say so. Don't go sneaking around thinking that your life isn't important to me. It is. It's affecting the way you treat me as a student... and as a friend."

Luke frowned, and nodded sadly. "You're right. I just- I wasn't ready for you to know this- this part of my life."

"What part? What is this 'terrible secret' that you can't even tell your Padawan?"

Luke gestured for Yugi to sit by him, and he cleared a relatively clean broken desk to sit on. Luke held the lightsaber- rotting hand still attached- and stared at it for a long while. When he spoke, it was low, almost ashamed.

"I didn't want to tell you this, but it was for my own selfish reasons. You deserve to know the truth, no matter how much I don't want to say it." He pushed back his sleeve, and pressed a spot on his wrist. It popped open, and Yugi gasped. It was an artificial hand.

"I wanted to keep the truth from you- to take advantage of the fact that you don't know this galaxy's history in order to hide my mistakes. I was ashamed of my past, and what happened between me and Vader."

"The Emperor's second-in-command."

Luke nodded, and continued. "Here, on Bespin, I lost this hand-" he gestured to the hand, still wrapped around the hilt of the lightsaber, flesh falling from it as it decayed, "- in a duel with Darth Vader. He tried to turn me to the Dark side of the Force, but I jumped off of a platform to what I thought was my death."

He pried the fingers open, and Yugi cringed to see the false hand gripping the flesh one. Luke shook his head, before tossing the hand behind his shoulder. Brushing off the handle of the lightsaber, he caressed its lines wistfully.

"This lightsaber had belonged to my father, before my first mentor gave it to me. My father had been a Jedi until Vader turned to the Dark side." There seemed to be more to what Luke was trying to say, but the older man fell silent. Yugi stared at the 'saber, eyes wide with sympathy, as Luke mused quietly.

Then, Luke shook his head as though just awakening, and stood. "We've got a mission to do- we can't waste our time talking about the dead in a trash-pit." He considered the lightsaber for a moment, then held it out to Yugi. "You might need a weapon- I hope it'll bring you better luck than it brought me. Take care of it, okay?"

Yugi gaped, reverently accepting the weapon. Hadn't he thought to himself it would be useful to have a lightsaber of his own? He held his breath, before carefully pressing the switch. It flared to life with a brilliant azure light, and Yugi nodded to Luke. "I won't let anything happen to it, Sensei." It wasn't his own lightsaber- he could feel that it wasn't the right fit- but it was an honorable weapon, and Yugi would wield it respectfully and gratefully.

Luke smiled, and clapped Yugi on the shoulder. "Let's get this mission over with."

* * *

They emerged from the garbage storage, Luke commenting on how lucky it was that the compactor hadn't worked in years, to enter the smuggler's compound once more. Unfortunately, they were surrounded. Six thugs formed a semicircle around them, holding up many forms of weaponry. One of them barked out, "Drop your weapons, Jedi!"

With a rueful shrug to each other, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker and Jedi Padawan Mutou Yugi dropped their lightsabers on the deck, before their wrists were bound behind their backs.

This wasn't going to be easy.


	11. X

I'll try to update this more regularly- I have two other fics in the works, though, so it might not be very often. 

We left the Imperials with Darth Ausar returning to the holocron. Hey... review, willya?

* * *

Grand Admiral Thrawn was watching the Emperor as the man- boy, really, he seemed no older than twenty- sat in a trance, Palpatine's holocron lying on his knee. There was a scarlet glow surrounding the Sith, and shadows shifted, mist swirling around the gallery.

There was a buzz as the door opened, and Thrawn strode through the statues and holograms to learn who dared visit his sanctum.

It was Pellaeon. "Sir, we've had a transmission from one of our underworld contacts. They say they wish to speak with you personally."

"Where are they transmitting from?"

The human shook his head, and shook his head in apology. "They have called us through secret channels and roundabout routes. The signal cannot be traced, and they refuse to answer questioning to anyone but you."

With a semi-dramatic sigh, Thrawn received the portable transmitter Pellaeon offered him. "This is Imperial Grand Admiral Thrawn."

The voice that answered him was thickly accented, an Outer Rim accent laden with Huttese tones. "We've caught some prisoners the Imperials might be interested in."

"My ears are open."

"What would you give us for Skywalker and a Jedi kid?"

Thrawn's eyes widened. "You couldn't have captured Skywalker."

"Oh?" There was a nasty chuckle, and the voice continued. "You'll never know unless you come to our headquarters to negotiate. It was actually rather easy- I think that he held back because he knew he couldn't fight in the small space we had him pinned in without slicing his student to bits."

"What is your asking price?"

"Business. We have fuel. The Empire wants fuel. Simple supply and demand."

Thrawn considered the idea, then spoke. "I'll visit your compound."

"Good! Bespin's Cloud City, level 4. Our contact will meet you at the hangar." The transmission ended.

Pellaeon spoke up. "Sir, what if they don't have Skywalker? It could be a trap."

"They were correct that the Empire is in need of fuel. Even without Skywalker, a profitable negotiation can be achieved. One does not need to win all objectives to gain a victory."

A voice interrupted at Thrawn's elbow, startling both him and Pellaeon. "And if Skywalker IS there, I wish to deal with him personally."

Thrawn regained his composure, trying to hide the fact that he had not heard Ausar sneak up beside him. "Of course, your Highness. You are the only Force-user among the Empire, after all."

The crimson eyes fixed him a glare. "I am not only a Force-user. I am Lord of the Sith."

"My apologies, my Lord and Emperor. I was quite aware of that."

With this, Ausar returned to his seat and the Holocron, leaving a rather flustered Admiral in his wake.

The desolate terrain of Korriban was now almost home to the young Emperor, even though he knew it was all a trick. Mere illusions provided by Palpatine to serve as training grounds.

While hours passed in the outside world, months had passed in Ausar's mind.

He knelt before Palpatine, simmering with anticipation. "My master, Skywalker has been captured and I am to confront him."

The wrinkled facade of the former Emperor- former, no matter how much he believed to be in control- smiled, and he waved his hand over Ausar's head in benediction. "Good, good! Your test is at hand. You are almost a full Lord of the Sith."

At this depricating remark, Ausar's eyes flashed. "I AM a Lord of the Sith."

"Can one be fully a Sith Lord without having killed a single being?"

Palpatine had a point- he had to prove his ruthlessness. But an idea struck his mind, and Ausar grinned. "Must it be a Jedi that I kill?"

"Who else could provide you with the challenge necessary to develop your skills?"

"A Sith." He rose to his feet, and activated his lightsaber- a dark crimson, darker and thinner than most lightsabers. Raising the blade to his brow in challenge, he lunged at the old man.

Startled, Palpatine raised his arms and shot spidery lightning at Ausar, but a dark cloud surrounded the boy, absorbing it. Palpatine had no choice but to raise his own blade in defense. "Brave, my young apprentice- but foolish."

"Treachery is the way of the Sith." Ausar easily blocked Palpatine's attempt at a counter-attack.

This world was of Palpatine's creation, but it was all an illusion. And Ausar was a master of illusions.

The fight was over in a depressingly short time. Palpatine lay dead at Ausar's feet before the boy had even broke a sweat. Gazing around himself almost calmly, he raised his hands.

The world reshaped itself according to his whims.

Smiling blackly, Darth Ausar savored his victory as he recreated the universe.

Thrawn studied the meditating form of Ausar, remarking to himself that the boy was as still as a marble statue, until he was knocked backwards by a flash of golden light emanating from the holocron.

As he regained his feet, he noticed that the holocron had changed. It was no longer red, and no longer a cube. Instead, it was a pyramid of gold, with exotic foreign etchings on its surface. A loop was on the square side, and Thrawn figured that it was meant to be hung- possibly as a necklace.

Ausar's eyes snapped open, and glanced down at the treasure in his hands. Looking up at Thrawn, he rose to his feet.

Before Thrawn could protest, he opened a case which held an ancient Mon Calamari glass vase and knocked the vase to the ground. Thrawn only barely caught it as Ausar placed the pyramid within the case. "If anyone touches this, they die. Understood, Admiral?"

From the floor, Thrawn could only nod meekly at the Emperor.


End file.
